A good lunch and a natter

Lunch clubs are run by third-sector organisations and charities to provide a good value healthy lunch for our older residents and the chance to meet others and have a natter.

The election petitioners allege that lunch clubs were used to influence voting in the May 2014 mayoral election.

Here is a quote from Richard Mawrey QC, who is the judge in the case, when asking questions about one particular Lunch Club. Mr Mawrey asked:

“This organisation asked for £26,000, [council] officers said it should get nothing and eventually the mayor said it should get £36,000,” he said. “And we don’t seem to have any documentation for how we got between zero and the mayor’s decision of 25% more than asked for.